Perhaps the single most challenging aspect of the hajj is the huge distances many have to cover in order to arrive at the holy city of Mecca; and this is likely why it is the final and only pillar of Islam with a caveat: it is only required of those "who are able." Air travel has doubtless made the journey much easier, exponentially increasing the number of pilgrims over the years. But some are doing away with the ease of travel that has come with technological advancement, and they're putting an environmental twist on the 1,300 year old practice.
Mohammad, whose second name is unknown,reportedly took off from his home in Xinjiang, China to the western Saudi city of Taif in the Mecca province. His journey covered 8,150 km, which would take a professional cyclist two to three months to complete.
Mohamad the cyclist would have had to pass through Iran and war-torn Iraq before riding through Saudi Arabia to Taif, where he was received by a local cycling club.
"We were the first cycling club in Saudi Arabia to welcome the Chinese rider and we look forward to other clubs reaching out to him and introducing him to their cities," said Nayef Al Rawas, the head of the Taif club, according to Gulf News .
According to Chinese authorities, 37 charter flights have already carried Chinese Muslims for hajj. There are 14,500 Chinese pilgrims heading to Mecca of which 11,000 have already arrived.
This isn't the first time someone has cycled their way to performing hajj.
In 2007, 63-year-old Muslim man from Chechnya, Dzhanar-Aliev Magomed-Ali biked about 12,000 kilometers to perform hajj because of "a promise he made to his dying mother," according to Al Arabiya .
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia announced changes to the visa fees in the kingdom, one of which dismisses visa fees for all first-time pilgrims coming to perform hajj or umrah.